Smullen times it well on Hour The market spoke in favour of Violet Hour, who got the job done in good style in the three-year-old fillies maiden at Naas. Pat Smullen tracked the leaders on the Moyglare-owned daughter of Elusive Quality and she tackled front-runner Pastiches at the two pole. Dermot Weld's charge was asked to quicken into the lead over a furlong out and kept on well in the closing stages to score by a length-and-three-quarters from El Palazzo, who got up for the runner-up spot. The winner, available at 7/2 this morning was backed from 3/1 on course into 9/4 before eventually returning 5/2 favourite. Violet Hour had run well on her previous start at Leopardstown when giving way in the closing stages, to finish third, after making the running. Kris Weld, representing his father, said:- “Her run at Leopardstown entitled her to win and she did it well. She'll probably go for a fillies handicap now.” Smullen added:- "She had a good run at Leopardstown the last day. Most importantly she handled the top of the ground well. She was entitled to have a good chance today. "She was drawn one at Leopardstown so I decided to use it to my advantage to see if it would work. There was a bit of pace on today so I was happy to take a lead. "In an ideal world you'd love to get a bit of black-type with her at some stage but she has to improve a fair bit for that." (Additional reporting by Alan Magee)
